RMIT Vietnam celebrates Festival of Social Impact

Tiếng Việt

RMIT Vietnam celebrates Festival of Social Impact

The Festival of Social Impact celebrates RMIT’s commitment to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through collaboration with industry partners, transformative research, and innovative teaching.

RMIT’s College of Business and Law, RMIT Vietnam's Business School, and the Student & Education Portfolio Vietnam operate at the intersection of business, law, and technology, with a focus on the transformative social impact that education and industry can have on our communities.

The University fosters social impact through research, educational innovation, and active engagement with industry, community, professions, and government.

Spanning two days in Melbourne, Australia and two days in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam the festival featured exhibitions, interactive installations, presentations, and workshops that focused on various impacts, including sustainable practices, decent work, gender equality, and the integration of responsible practices.

At RMIT Vietnam, the Festival of Social Impact was held from 19-20 September at the Saigon South campus, uniting educators, researchers, industry leaders, and students to showcase and celebrate the social impact generated by the RMIT community.

Highlights of the Festival of Social Impact 2024 at RMIT Vietnam

RMIT - Deloitte HR Roundtable

This year, the roundtable themed ‘Human sustainability - In search of future-proofing organisation’.

This annual event welcomed Associate Professor Lauren Gurrieri and Professor Cameron Duff from RMIT University, Director of Deloitte Southeast Asia Mr Yun-Han Lee, and General Director of Michael Page Vietnam Ms May Wah Chan.

A Global Human Capital Trends report by Deloitte in 2024 stated that while 76 per cent of respondents recognise the importance of human sustainability, only 10 per cent agreed that their organisation is making an impact towards this goal.

“For true human sustainability, organisations need to create value for all people connected to them”, said Mr Yun-Han Lee.

Industry Panel Discussion

Industry panel discussion on ‘Technological innovations for green and sustainable finance’

The discussion explored a range of topics, from the exciting emerging technologies that have the potential to transform green finance, to the challenges of translating theory into practice, and the ways in which academia and industry can work together to accelerate advancements in this field.

RMIT Dean of The Business School Professor Robert McClelland said: “The insights and ideas will undoubtedly inspire further research, innovation, and collaboration, helping us to make meaningful progress towards a more sustainable future.”

Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Poster Competition

The academic competition challenged HDR candidates to demonstrate the real-world impact of their research and its positive contributions to society.

The competition also served as a platform for cross-disciplinary collaboration and a celebration of the achievements of exceptional candidates.

Impact with Actions Fair

As a highlight of this year's Festival of Social Impact, the Impact with Actions Fair recognised the University’s shared commitment to social responsibility.

A total of 88 million VND in funds was raised, including books and essential supplies, along with over 230 kilograms of in-kind clothing donations.

Working with Student Life, RMIT Vietnam’s student clubs successfully collected donations for the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, MSD United Way, Nhà Nhiều Lá, and Assist Asia organisation.

The University collaborated with five NGO and NPO partners, including Saigon Children’s Charity, Rotaract One Million Lives Saigon, UNICEF NextGen, Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, and MSD United Way.

RMIT Food Drive

The Food Drive, a project hosted by RMIT Alumni Vietnam and VietHarvest, aimed to combat food waste while providing dry foods to underserved communities. Over 291 kilograms of dry foods were donated by staff, students, and alumni.